Traveling to Amsterdam is a great experience, but if you're coming from the United States, be prepared for one important issue: The dollar exchange. As of today, the exchange rate is 1 Euro = 1.35 US dollars. Ouch.

It's especially painful for us that were around when the Euro was first introduced back in 2002, when the currencies were practically equal. Everything was so simple - no calculations required!

Just keep this in mind when planning for hotels, meals etc. The difference seems only to be slowly increasing, so start saving for your dream holiday early.